About Me
Hi, My name is Xuelai.
Practice Smarter, Not Harder
I have spent thousands of hours at the piano.
As a child, I practiced because that was simply what serious musicians did. I was fortunate to have wonderful teachers and supportive parents who guided me from a young age. Looking back, those hours built a strong foundation—but I often wonder how much more I could have learned if someone had taught me how to practice, not just what to practice.
That question stayed with me throughout my career.
When I came to the United States for graduate school, life changed dramatically. Between lessons, rehearsals, coachings, performances, accompanying, teaching, and coursework, I no longer had unlimited hours to spend at the piano. Yet the amount of music I needed to prepare grew exponentially.
Like many musicians, I believed the answer was simply to practice harder.
Sometimes it worked.
Sometimes it didn’t.
There were days I left the practice room in tears because despite putting in the hours, I wasn’t making the progress I expected.
Eventually, over-practicing led to injuries—not once, but twice.
At the time, those injuries felt devastating. I had recitals approaching, rehearsals scheduled, and students depending on me. Being forced away from the piano was the last thing I wanted.
Ironically, those breaks changed the way I think about practicing forever.
When I returned, I began noticing something surprising.
The hardest passage usually wasn’t the real problem.
Sometimes the challenge was the transition into it.
Sometimes the left hand wasn’t supporting the right hand.
Sometimes a passage that looked like a technical problem was actually a phrasing problem, a harmonic misunderstanding, or simply a listening problem.
Instead of trying to play more, I started learning to notice more.
Those discoveries transformed not only my practicing, but also my performances. Some of my most satisfying performances happened after those injuries—not because I had practiced more, but because I finally understood what I was practicing.
That experience shaped the way I teach today.
Whether I’m introducing a beginner to their very first notes, helping a pianist prepare a competition, coaching a singer learning an opera role, or working with an instrumentalist preparing rehearsals, my philosophy remains the same.
I don’t simply teach notes.
I teach musicians how to solve musical problems.
Because every musician faces challenges differently, there is no single practice formula that works for everyone. My role is to help identify the hidden obstacle, develop an efficient strategy, and build the skills to become increasingly independent over time.
I want my students to leave each lesson knowing not only what to practice, but also how to think when they practice alone.
To me, great teaching isn’t creating students who depend on their teacher.
It’s helping musicians become thoughtful, confident, and curious learners who know how to guide themselves.
Practice will always require commitment.
But it shouldn’t feel like endless guessing.
With the right guidance, every practice session can become more focused, more rewarding, and ultimately more enjoyable.
Because it’s never just about practicing harder.
It’s about practicing smarter.